November 2024 Election 2024 Tiburon Town Council Candidate Questionnaire
Nearly all bike infrastructure is planned, designed, and implemented by our local governments. Whether our communities become more bike-friendly or stay the same is largely up to elected leaders and the staff they oversee. As such, local elections, which can be won or lost by just a few votes, are a critical opportunity to push your city or town in a positive direction.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Marin County Bicycle Coalition cannot endorse candidates for public office, but we are able to conduct questionnaires so that you can arrive at your own conclusion. Below are the 2024 Tiburon Town Council candidates’ responses to our questionnaire on bicycling in Marin. We have made no content changes. Thanks to the candidates for their time and thoughtful answers.
Candidates’ campaign websites may be accessed by clicking on those with a highlighted name. Those who did not provide a campaign website are not highlighted.
Here are the candidates on the November ballot for the Town of Tiburon:
CANDiDATE Responded to Questionnaire
CANDIDATE DID NOT Respond to Questionnaire
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Isaac Nikfar
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Andrew Thompson
Personal Travel
1. Do you ride a bicycle? If so, for what purposes and how often? If you don’t ride regularly, when was the last time you rode a bike (on vacation, for example)?
Chuck Hornbrook:
In different stages of my life and where I am impacts my riding. Now I ride every weekend on my gravel bike throughout Marin, so every weekend when it is not raining. So last time was September 8th. I rode a bike all through Croatia on a Back Roads trip. When I commuted from Marin to Millbrae, I would walk to the Tiburon Ferry, take that into SF and ride to the Cal-Train Station to grab the train, unless the BART schedule was a better fit. When I lived in San Francisco and worked in Millbrae I would ride to Civic Center, lock my bike in the secured bike cage and ride BART. I used to ride centuries and other road rides when I lived in San Francisco and did triathlon. I’ve probably logged almost 10,000 miles in the saddle over the past 20 years.
Historically, I have been more of a runner of trails than a rider of mountain bikes. The gravel bike is a new adventure for me as I find the roads too busy and my risk tolerances have changed.
Holli P. Thier, J.D.:
Yes, I ride a bicycle a few times each month for recreation and enjoyment. I moved to Tiburon in 2013 with two elementary age children, and bicycling for both transportation and pleasure has been important to my entire family.
Vision
2. In your own words, describe your vision for the future of transportation in your city/town and Marin County at large.
Chuck Hornbrook:
For Tiburon, I suggest the following incremental policy changes for transportation. Many of these are NOT capital intensive and could be implemented now. As a member of the Town Council, I would be diligent to make sure these are seriously considered and push for their passage. More details on this can be found on my web site. What is critical with all of these is a concept of integration with existing agencies and efforts to create multi-modal transportation solutions moving people up and down the 101 corridor easily to commercial districts and destinations to the south and north.
Policy
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Update the Tiburon Peninsula Traffic Joint Powers Authority (JPA) between the RUSD, Belvedere, and Tiburon to focus on vehicle volume reduction in addition to the school bus program and include Marin Transit and the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) as additional partners. I recently sat in on this meeting and requested as a citizen for the JPA to add this to the agenda in their next meeting.
Multi Modal Bicycle Use for Commuters and Visitors
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Examine the use of bike shares for people to avoid driving south of Trestle Glen with bike stations at Strawberry Shopping Center, The Cove, Blackie’s and Downtown managed through existing TAM bike-sharing programs.
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Evaluate the number of bike racks from the Cove to Downtown to make sure ample parking is available.
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Widen Old Rail Trail paved path to increase bicycle capacity and improve safety of shared multi-path. Mill Valley path is 4.5 feet wider than Tiburon Old Rail Trail.
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Using the soon-to-be-completed Traffic and Study Report, see how to enlarge Tiburon Boulevard for broader shoulders or to include a bike lane in either direction for use by adult cyclists and e-bikers.
School Traffic
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Continue to support the Yellow Bus Challenge program and identify how to increase ridership. Continue to support safe bike routes to school program.
Carpooling
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Establish a construction parking staging area at Blackie’s Pasture dirt lot on weekdays Monday-Friday. I spoke to a few residents in the nearby neighborhood, and they were happy with this proposal because it would reduce traffic.
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Propose allowing a local cafe or restaurant to set up a pop-up to sell coffee and breakfast in the morning as an amenity for the waiting crews as a test pilot. The reduced traffic will also help the crews get home to families faster.
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Promote contractors who are working well with parking guidelines by identifying them as preferred contractors on the Town Website. Always better to use a carrot vs a stick.
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Using the Traffic JPA, work with the RUSD to find solutions to encourage teachers and staff carpooling to school locations. The RUSD is the largest employer in Tiburon. This includes working with parking lots away from the congested areas for teacher carpooling and/or teacher shuttling from other lots and coordinated with Marin Transit (similar to the Redwood Marin Transit bus).
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Contact businesses to determine “typical shift times” to create other carpool parking and express drop-off in downtown Tiburon using the Marin Transit fleet or the local bus route.
Using this multiple approach, Tiburon and Marin in general could develop more comprehensive plans. No matter what we’re doing, it needs to take into account that Marin’s topography is hilly, and many commercial districts are in flatter areas. If TAM, Marin transit and city leaders can integrate these with, predictable mass transit, bicycles sharing and walking in the flatter areas between commercial districts, we would truly have a sustainable and viable future.
Holli P. Thier, J.D.:
Reducing travel by car is critically important for the health and safety of Marin County residents, and for our fragile planet. I envision a future where people of all ages feel safe to bicycle in our cities and towns. I have actively supported expanding dedicated bicycle lanes and well-designed bicycle and pedestrian paths in the Town of Tiburon. We must also continue to invest in public transit that is reliable, with improved intra-county service. Please see more below about my proposal for an open-air “Tiburon Trolley” along Tiburon Blvd.
Safety
Traffic deaths and injuries are on the rise, both nationally and in Marin (this includes all road users, not just bicyclists). The Transportation Authority of Marin has adopted a “Vision Zero” policy, an explicit goal to eliminate traffic deaths in Marin by 2050. However, some projects that would improve road safety may result in more near-term traffic congestion or less on-street parking.
3. Do you see prevention of injury and death for all road users as the highest priority for Marin’s roads? Or should congestion and delay for drivers be minimized, even where this increases risk for pedestrians and bicyclists? How will you weigh these competing priorities?
Chuck Hornbrook:
YES, prevention of injury or death is all of ours highest priority. I would always weigh safety first, and find ways to mitigate the time/inconvenience pain by being curious, showing empathy, and using data for those that may not agree with me. Too often I have seen the extreme approach and not leverage local resources. This approach may lead to a less-than-ideal solution taking more time.
Holli P. Thier, J.D.:
Distracted driving has become a national crisis. In fact, pedestrian deaths have doubled nationally since 2010, after what had been a steady decades-long decline. We must design our shared roads and bicycle paths with safety for bicyclists and pedestrians as our top priority.
Climate Change
The California Air Resources Board has stated that, even with the aggressive adoption of electric cars, Californians need to drive 25% less by 2030 to achieve the state’s greenhouse gas reduction goals.
4. What concrete policies and projects in your city/town would improve mobility for people of all ages and abilities while reducing overall driving?
Chuck Hornbrook:
I see the need for a bike share multi-modal integration with mass transit locations like the 101 buses routes, the Tiburon Ferry, carpool locations like Blackies pasture and the three commercial districts of Strawberry, the Cove and Downtown Tiburon. If we are going to get people out of their cars in Tiburon, it will need to be for short hauls and within the flatter residential areas of Tiburon like Belveron and BelAire should be located walking distance to the Cove and Blackie’s pasture. These bike share programs exist and as a Town Council person I would want to explore these to determine their cost effectiveness.
Holli P. Thier, J.D.:
I have proposed the Tiburon Trolley to reduce car travel within Tiburon, and so that visitors to our town can connect from existing transit to reach downtown car-free. This open-air electric trolley would run from The Cove Shopping Center, down Tiburon Boulevard, Main Street, Ark Row and to the end of Ark Row and loop back to The Cove Shopping Center. We will seek available state and federal funds with the goal of providing service free of charge if feasible. The Tiburon Trolley would be able to transport workers and employees coming into and out of Tiburon for work, as well as encourage locals to visit local businesses. Other successful existing trolleys include the Burlingame Downtown Trolley and the Laguna Beach Trolley.
TRAILS
In the birthplace of mountain biking, there are few legal single-track trails for people who bike. MCBC and our partners at Access4Bikes are working to expand access to trails for people riding mountain bikes.
5. Do you support building new or opening up existing single-track trails on public lands to mountain bikers? Please explain your answer.
Chuck Hornbrook:
This is a challenging question. As a trail runner I have been all over the Bay Area enjoying the solitude of the running only trails not having to worry about a mountain biker encounter, but I understand the desire to get out into single track that is truly wonderful. So, I support both building some new and opening some existing single-trek if common ground can be established.
Mountain biking and trail running have found common ground through shared trails, events, and maintenance efforts in other parts of the country. And it will be through working together in race organization, advocacy, and promoting trail etiquette, that these two communities enhance the overall trail experience for everyone. Examples include:
Shared Trail Systems and Multi-Use Designations in the Bent Creek Experimental Forest near Asheville, North Carolina, where trails are specifically designed and maintained for both mountain biking and trail running. These trails often feature wider paths and signage to ensure both bikers and runners can use the trail safely without conflict.
Trail Etiquette and Safety Initiatives such as those being implemented in Colorado’s Buffalo Creek Recreation Area, where mountain bikers and trail runners share trails with designated uphill and downhill routes, ensuring that fast-moving bikers and runners have clear paths.
Advocacy and Community Building for example in Sedona, Arizona, mountain bikers and trail runners have formed advocacy groups to protect and expand access to trails. Both communities clearly share concerns about trail sustainability and access to public lands, which has led to joint advocacy efforts to influence policy decisions that affect recreational areas.
For all this to work effectively the MCBC and the Marin Trail Runners would need to partner more and find common ground.
Holli P. Thier, J.D.:
Mountain biking is an important part of Marin County culture, and I support building new single-track trails and expanding access to existing ones.
Wrap Up
6. Why should people who ride bikes (or those who might want to ride but don’t currently) vote for you?
Chuck Hornbrook:
I am an empathetic bike rider who sees that short term compromise will eventually lead to long term gains. I think I am the only candidate in my race that rides a bike as often as I do, that has been on Safe Routes 2 school for 5 years and can work with the different constituents in my town and Southern Marin. I have and will always be a person who leads by example, just not with words and is driven to service over selfishness, compassion over convenience. My dedication to this motto is you just might find me next leading a bike train for elementary kids even though I have a kid who is a Sophomore in HS. That is what community commitment is.
Holli P. Thier, J.D.:
Prior to serving on the Tiburon Town Council, I served on Tiburon’s Parks, Open, Space, and Trails Commission. I have also had the good fortune to work on the Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Automobile Safety and Education. In that role, I have worked with our residents, the Town Staff, Police Department, outside organizations, and the Reed Union School District. We held public meetings, workshops, and deeply examined how the Town can enhance pedestrian, bicycle, and automobile safety and education. As current Vice Mayor, I am putting our plans into action, but we still have much more to do.
My priorities are to preserve our magnificent recreational and open space, reduce traffic along Tiburon Boulevard, continue working with the Reed Unified School District Yellow Bus Program, and make the Tiburon Trolley a reality. I would like to see Tiburon go deep green, reducing our impact on Climate Change, and ensuring that residents of all ages feel safe and secure while biking and walking.
members make it happen!
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